Why I’m Retaking Surface Pattern Design Immersion in 2026
This week, I logged back into a course I have already completed. I’ve been eagerly reading enrollment emails, sorting through my alumni course materials, and completing the pre-lessons in my course hub. I know what’s coming: weekly modules, live Q&A sessions, gathering inspiration, creating artwork (lots of artwork), the excitement of designing patterns, and stressing through moments of doubt. I’ve done this before. So why am I doing it again?
Why I Took Immersion in 2024
When I first enrolled in Surface Pattern Design Immersion in 2024, my goal was simple: keep up. I wanted to complete the course in real time. I wanted to learn Adobe Illustrator. More than that, I wanted to understand what was even possible. At that point, surface pattern design felt like a door I had just cracked open. I took a free mini course in late 2022, turned a simple sketch of a climbing carabiner, and in less than an hour a day, I had not only finished my first repeating pattern, I had my very first fabric sample in my hot little hands. Mind. Blown. 🤯 I wanted to take Immersion in 2024 because I wanted to know what was possible. So for all of 2023, transferred $200 a month to a savings account to be able to take the $2000 course when enrollment opened in February.
Original Carabiner Drawing
My first repeating pattern.
My first fabric.
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My first collection TREAD
I accomplished my goal: I finished the course in real time from March through May. I took off one day a week from work and put in 20+ hours a week completing lessons and homework. At the end I had designed my very first fabric collection, that I later copyrighted and put up for sale on Spoonflower. (One of our volunteers at the museum even bought my fabric and made a shirt out of it!) It was 100% a turning point in my art career. I am still so proud of that collection, but when I look at it now, I can also see that it is the work of a baby designer.
Why I’m Retaking Immersion Now
There are two or three patterns in that collection that I still feel genuinely proud of. The rest feel like I could do so much better today if I was starting over. In 2024, I was proving to myself that I could do it. In 2026, I want to take my design work to the next level. This time, I am not retaking Immersion to see what’s possible, I am retaking it because I am ready to build a professional portfolio that reflects where I am now. One of my goals for the end of this year is to have enough polished, portfolio-ready collections so that I can consider pitching for licensing contracts in 2027. I want to refine my designs so that I can showcase my style, my technical ability, and my voice as a designer.
Accelerated Growth
Picnics & Tea Time from the Sweet Provisions Collection
If I didn’t retake Immersion, I would still design. I would continue working through design briefs in Pattern+, collections like Sweet Provisions and Blush & Bloom (coming soon!). My skills would continue to improve, but the growth would be slower and self-directed. I know that taking Immersion will accelerate my progress. It will force me to create better motifs, establish better workflows, and improve my technical skills in Illustrator. I want guidance as I push into that next level. I want constructive feedback of my work and to be in rooms with people who are serious about building their own surface pattern design careers.
When I took Immersion in 2024, I joined a study group that I still meet with once a month, two-plus years later. But I am the only one who completed the course and the only one that is really interested in licensing. I want to be in rooms, even if they are virtual, with people who have the same goals as me and people that are a little bit ahead of my in their careers.
A Focus on Analog Creation
While I have not seen all of the modules and course content yet, the course has been completely re-recorded. The format has shifted to a more documentary style of Bonnie Christine, the course developer, and how she designs her patterns. There is also much larger emphasis on analog creation, which is what I am most looking forward to. AI-generated art has exploded in recent years. Digital illustration tools are more accessible than ever. And while I use AI constantly for business organization and strategy, I’ve quietly wondered whether I was at a disadvantage as a designer because of how I work.
I don’t have an iPad.
I don’t use Procreate.
I don’t sketch directly into Illustrator.
I draw by hand.
I paint in watercolor.
Every motif begins on a piece of paper before it becomes digital.
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Sketches from my first collection during Immersion 2024 and fabric samples.
In 2024, I sometimes felt like I could never quite capture what I loved about my drawings once I translated them into vectors. When I heard that this updated course was doubling down on organic, handmade artwork, my decision to take the course was reinforced. I still primarily see myself as a watercolor artist. While I do not anticipate putting my paintings directly into repeating patterns, I do see watercolor, linework, texture, and the way I observe the world as foundational elements of my design style. Retaking Immersion feels like an opportunity to translate those elements more intentionally. In 2026, I am comfortable in Illustrator. I understand repeat structures. I know how to build a collection. Now I want refinement.
Embracing a Beginner’s Mindset
Even though I’ve completed Immersion before, I want to work my way through the course as if it is all brand new. I want to approach it as a beginner. I don’t want to skip steps because “I’ve done this before.” I want to see what tools in Illustrator I have mastered and which I still need practice with. I want to experiment and play.
2026 Immersion Workbook
While I am very excited, I am nervous about maintaining the rest of my business while I focus on Immersion. I have worked hard to build consistency in my blog, newsletter, my painting process, and social media presence. I do not want to fall behind, but I also want to focus. Over the next 12 weeks, I plan to document what this experience looks like the second time around. This blog is as much about sharing my work as documenting my creative journey. If you have questions about anything or want me to cover something in my next Immersion-focused post, let me know in the comments.
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On the Blog: My First Fabric Collection: Why Immersion in 2024?
On the Blog: From Doubt to Design: Embrace Being the Least Experienced in the Room
This Reel where I talk about why I am taking Immersion in 2026 or this Reel where I open my Immersion Alumni Box Experience